Driving and traffic on Kauai

If you think of Kauai as a small and quiet island where driving will be easy and fun, think twice! Kauai’s popularity has grown dramatically over the last years and more and more people have been moving there. So driving on Kauai is not so calm and relaxed anymore. I live on Oahu and I have always thought that Kauai’s traffic is significantly less than traffic on Oahu. On a recent visit I was surprised to see how busy Kauai’s streets actually... [Read more]

What is the best time to visit Hawaii

Hawaii is sunny and warm year round, so whenever you decide to visit the islands, it is considered to be a good time. However, even warm year round, the weather here varies a bit during the seasons. Hawaii is generally very humid and humidity could be feel most during the month of October, right before the winter starts, so if you don’t like humidity, that’s not the time to plan a Hawaii vacation. The summer months May to August... [Read more]

Hawaii’s Street Names

Hawaii’s rich culture and history can be felt not only at specific locations, but also in the names of those locations. For example, many streets in Hawaii are named after a famous warrior or significant person in Hawaii’s history. Other streets carry just a simple Hawaiian word in their name, and some street names even have surprising translations. Here is a small sample of Hawaii’s variety of street names: ‘A‘ahu (Miilani) –... [Read more]

Ala Moana Beach in Honolulu flooded?

In all the years I have lived in Hawaii, one of my favorite places to go to has been Ala Moana Beach Park. Friday afternoon I went for a casual swim and on the way there I noticed that the Ala Wai Canal was unusually full, and when I got to the beach park, I saw something I had never seen before – there was water near the second lifeguard tower on a big part of the beach. Was that just the hide tide or the high waves? I don’t think so.... [Read more]

Gay discrimination in the media in Hawaii

Gay discrimination in the media in Hawaii - gays and lesbians don’t have a voice and are not properly represented About three weeks ago I wrote a letter to the editor to the Honolulu Advertiser. I commented the recent debate about same-sex marriage. Now that California, the second state in the United States, legalized it, it is again being debated more nationwide. My article was about what these gay marriages in California and other... [Read more]

Hawaiian vog (volcanic smog)

You think Hawaii is always sunny and blue? Well, you are wrong. Hawaii can be pretty gray too, especially when under vog (volcanic smog). Occasionally, the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii produces volcanic smog, which gets blown all the way to Oahu and Kauai. In days like that the air is very hazy and looks like there is dust all over in the sky. You cannot even see the mountains sometimes. To see what I mean, just scroll down and see... [Read more]

The average pay in Hawaii and facts

Hawaii is a very expensive place to live. Many come to Hawaii because they dream to live here, but sooner or later they are forced to leave because they can’t catch up with paying the bills. Many families have two or even more jobs, so they are able to cover the most necessary expenses. The middle class person makes around $15 an hour. Many jobs though are still in the range of $8.00 - $10.00. Thus for those people $15 an hour is a luxury.... [Read more]

Why life and food are so expensive in Hawaii?

When I first came to Hawaii in 2004, a plate of lunch was $5.50. Today the same plate of lunch is $8.90, which is $3.40 more. At the same time pay has not really gone up at all. But rent, on the contrary – it went up. Back in 2004, the average rate to rent a room was $500 to $600 per month, and the same room today is at least $800. Of course, it depends on the area where you want to rent, but the overall trend is that the prices go up.... [Read more]

How to find a job in Hawaii – Craigslist tips

Well, there are many different ways to get a job in Hawaii. For example, you can try to browse the job adds in the Honolulu Advertiser or Star Bulletin (the two daily local newspapers in Hawaii and both are among the most popular media resources). Or if you prefer you can try an employment agency. There are many local agencies that will be ready to help. However, you should be careful because some of the agencies will subtract a certain... [Read more]